Harry Potter and the House of Dumbledore
by Melancholy Quill
Summary: PLEASE REVIEW...only pieces, want to know if I should fill them in. Year Seven...
1. 1 Beginning of the End

CHAPTER 1-BEGINNING OF THE END  
  
He didn't know.  
  
He didn't know that the laughter would fade.  
  
He didn't know that he would lose his best friend, of the horrors that awaited his youthful spirit, of the pain that would kill it, that he would never graduate.  
  
He didn't know, as he romped across the sunny grounds, friends at his side, graduation robes on his arm, that it would be the beginning of the end. 


	2. 6 The End of Days

CHAPTER 6-THE END OF DAYS  
  
Dark clouds swirled and lightening cast harsh shadows from the enchanted ceiling, illuminating the crowd of silvery-white robes marching into the Great Hall. Nervous family members were squashed into rows of seats, which had replaced the long house tables. Equally nervous students pushed tassels out of their faces, scanning the room for a familiar face. As the graduates filed in by twos, Harry cast a sideways glance at Hermione. Muttering to herself and slightly panting, he thought she looked more nervous than she was before her first year hat sorting. Harry paused at this thought-it seemed only yesterday that the excitement of learning magic was there, when innocence remained. As his mind wandered, he stared aimlessly into the crowd. He rested upon the gaze of Mrs. Weasley. She smiled wistfully at him, teary eyed, and blew him a kiss. Feeling a lump forming in his throat, he looked away and unconsciously grabbed Hermione's hand. Her soft hand did not pull away, but rather gripped his tight, holding on for dear life. They made their way to the front of the room, fingers intertwined, caught in the dreariness of the black draperies that soiled the happy occasion.  
  
As the graduates took their seats, the murmur of the hall settled and Professor McGonagall stepped behind the podium of a small stage that seemed to be gently floating in mid-air. Her mournful eyes gazed at the crowd for a moment before taking a breath and speaking.  
  
"My dear children," she began, but stopped suddenly as she looked at the faces of the angel-robed teenagers. She shook her head slightly and landed on Harry's empty eyes.  
  
"Oh, my dears, but you are not children anymore.no more. Of all the classes Hogwarts has ever seen, I am proud to say I have never taught one that has been stronger, smarter, brave.as beautiful as you are. And now the end has come."  
  
Harry glanced around at his classmates, distracted by the noise of little sniffles. His eyes landed on Malfoy, who sat alone, Crabb and Goyle no longer at his side. Malfoy returned his gaze, but made no other movement- no sneers, smirks, comments. His eyes flickered to Harry's hand, which still tightly embraced Hermione's before returning his attention to McGonagall.  
  
".we have lost so many smiling faces from our halls during your time here.Cedric.Ron Weasley.Headmaster Dumbledore.only to name a few. So many.as you walk from these gates into the world, remember the good they have done.remember their sacrifices.remember them."  
  
Now the noise in the hall had elevated from the gentle droplets of sniffling to instances of outright wailing. Harry looked toward the ominous ceiling, offhandedly wondering how it became so stormy when the weather was beautifully clear all day.  
  
"And now, I would like to present a person who has not only exemplified the standard of academic excellence Hogwarts strives to achieve, but also made proud the honor of Gryffendor (Professor McGonagall's chest swelled a little).your head girl and valedictorian, Hermione Granger."  
  
Hermione smiled weakly and made to get up before she realized she was still attached to Harry. He gave her a reassuring smile and a tight squeeze before letting go. The hovering stage lowered for her to step onto before elevating again. She nodded lightly to the risers of professors, which Harry had failed to notice, although he should have known they would be there. They looked a bit odd, hovering there, facing the stage, and it took him a moment to realize some faces were missing. Hagrid sat in a frumpy suit next to Professor Sprout, both with a distracted look on their faces. Professor Trelawney's misty eyes scanned the graduates, a dark look on her face. Snape, Sirius, and Flitwick were no where to be seen. All eyes turned back to the stage as Hermione's wavering voice was amplified through the hall.  
  
"Seven years ago we sat on boats together, gazing up at this place we would come to call home for the first time. Seven years ago we were divided.our houses became our families, our sanctions. But now we are one-the House of Dumbledore. Yet the House of Dumbledore has grown up.we're leaving Hogwarts."  
  
Hermione's eyes shined out at the hundreds of faces, each returning her powerful gaze. Harry smiled slightly as he reflected how the mousy girl he had met at eleven had become a beautiful, confident young woman. His smile turned to a frown, however, as he glanced to the group of teachers to see Professor Trelawney in absolute hysterics. Taking this a little seriously, are we, Harry thought to himself as she leaned over Hagrid, tears and snot flowing freely. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, however, when her face turned in his direction. Her eyes were glazed, a look of pure terror on her face, took choked up to say words that seemed to want to pour from her lips. Hermione paid no attention, but was now holding a little piece of paper in her trembling hand.  
  
".we're leaving and going our separate ways. But I will not forget what we had here.we must stay one."  
  
A cold chill swept through the crowd, a cold that made one's breath catch in their chest and stayed in them. Crackles of lightening continued to sweep across the ceiling, but Hermione's voice went through them.  
  
"No matter where you go, what profession you choose, what path you decide upon, remember Hogwarts.remember Harry run."  
  
The sniffling stopped as everyone looked quizzically at Hermione. Harry gave her a puzzled look, but she did not look at him.  
  
"Harry get out of here.NOW!!"  
  
Harry felt the cold sweep around him, inside him, and his stomach dropped as he followed Hermione's terrified gaze towards the back of the hall, where there stood a half dozen Dementors, a handful of Death Eaters, around the piercing red eyes of Lord Voldemort. 


	3. 7 The Boy Who Lived

CHAPTER 7-THE BOY WHO LIVED  
  
Well robed guests tore from their seats, scrambling for an exit that did not exist. Mothers screaming, children crying, rays of light flashing through the darkened hall at the uninvited visitors.  
  
  
  
  
  
The Dementors encircled Voldemort, who did not move from where he lay. Instead, as the creatures simultaneously lower their hoods, a quiet, sick laughter filled the air, chilling the room to a bone. The roar of six death rattles deafened the air as they lowered their mouths to his, and Voldemort's soul was torn into six pieces, sucked into the abyss from the hungry mouths.  
  
The grey hands dropped the empty shell of Voldemort and turned toward the shattered heap that was Harry. The dust had settled and now all eyes turned to a sight that would haunt their dreams to come. Harry Potter lie has he had fallen at the front of the Great Hall, his seventeen year old form as pale and limp as a child's rag doll. Angelic white robes now ripped and drenched red, blood from the lightning-bolt scar pooling around his locks. The nightmare lived in that he was awake-gurgling breaths quickening as he watched the Dementors approach him through watery eyes. He did not move, he could not move.  
  
As quickly as the night had turned sour, McGonagall, Flitwick, and Trelawney appeared, standing like a wall in the Dementors path, blocking Harry from their eyeless gaze. The tips of their broken wands touched as McGonagall shouted, "Expecto Patronum!"  
  
Though the broken shards of wood angrily sparked, the spell produced a large patronus, the blinding white mist driving the Dementors back out of the hall. Once through the doors, they continued driving the beasts away, past the gates of the school. For a moment, silence filled the fall, allowing a moment for the tired victory.  
  
Then with the sound of a faltering breath, suddenly the hall was in motion again-everyone ran to where Harry lay, but Hermione got there first. Flustered and tears streaming down her face, she cradled him in her lap. His breath, shallow and ragged, quickened as she pressed her hand to his chest, trying to stop the blood soaking his robes. He focused his gaze on her eyes, but could not stop the tears and shaking. Distantly he heard shouts for help, cries to find unbroken wands.  
  
"Her.hermi.love.I love., " Harry whispered through his gurgling breaths. Hermione's eyes buldged in terror and she held him tighter.  
  
"No. No you don't Harry Potter. You have to hold on.help is coming. Someone's going to help.you can't leave us.don't leave me." Hermione cried as she bit her lower lip.  
  
Harry's head lolled to the side, eyes flickering on wizards frantically running about, trying to find a working wand, parents tending to the injuries of their own children, Snape in the corner, desperately concocting a potion.  
  
Harry's eyes blinked slowly as his breaths started to slow, "Don't worry..I'll.haunt you."  
  
Hyperventilating, Hermione looked around, her tear-filled eyes searching for help, an answer, resolution. She gently brushed blood-soaked strands of hair away from his face and caressed his cheek.  
  
"You can't die," Hermione yelled, "You're Harry Potter! You're the Boy who Lived! You're the Boy who Lived!!"  
  
And for a moment that seemed an eternity, Harry's eyes cleared, his breath slowed, and as silent tears streamed down his cheeks he smiled, "And I did. I did."  
  
And as the sounds of people screaming his name, the panicky clink of Snape's vials, and crying children started to fade, Harry choked on the liquid filling his lungs, lids closed over brilliant green eyes, and the last thing he felt was the gentle warm touch of Hermione's lips upon his own. 


End file.
